Side-guard for inside of a flexible bag

ABSTRACT

The present invention includes a side-guard for inside of a flexible bag, including a substantially cylindrical rigid member able to fit inside a flexible bag, the substantially cylindrical rigid member including an open top side and an open bottom side and a peripheral side wall, wherein the peripheral side wall is inclined toward the central axis of the substantially cylindrical rigid member; and one or more handle means that are integral to or attached toward the top open top side of the substantially cylindrical member.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of side-guards, and particularly to side-guards for inside of flexible bags.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One of the important tasks in a back yard or garden is to clean up fallen leaves and Branches on a regular basis, especially after each storm in autumn and winter. To do this cleaning job, most people use plastic bags and garbage cans for collection and packaging of branches and leaves. Normally, an open plastic bag is placed inside a garbage can, and the person charged with the task of cleanup fills up the plastic bag with branches and leaves. This task of clean up is very hard because broken branches often times have very sharp points and sometimes thorns, which can tear and make holes in the plastic bag as they are shoved in the garbage can. Also, larger branches do not easily go through all the way and anytime one tries to force the branches by hand inside the plastic bag, the sharp points of these broken branches will make more damage to the plastic bag and make the clean up job more difficult and time consuming. Furthermore, after filling up the plastic bag with branches and leaves, there still remains the challenge of pulling out the plastic bag from the garbage can, which can further damage the plastic bag causing the leaves and branches to spill out again. This task of pulling out the plastic bag from the garbage can is especially burdensome for the elderly and those that suffer from back pain, considering that the average filled plastic bag weighs about 30 pounds, and has to be lifted up at least about 3 feet out of the garbage can to be taken out. Many times, the damaged plastic will have to be placed inside a second plastic bag to stop the branches and leaves from falling out of the tears and holes created in the cleanup resulting in waste of plastic bags.

A variety and sizes of garbage bags are available in the market, and some have been manufactured to be more flexible, durable, and tear-resistant, which cost more money than the regular type plastic bags. However, these bags are still vulnerable to tearing and puncture holes when confronted with the sharp points of broken branches and thorns. While there has been a trend to produce stronger and tear-resistant plastic bags, further improvements in the effectiveness and efficiency cleaning up a yard or garden are desirable, and the side-guard of the present invention addresses the existing problems and provides related solutions and benefits.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of side-guards, and particularly to side-guards for inside of flexible bags. The present invention is particularly adaptable for use by home-owners or gardeners to efficiently fill up garbage bags with any type of trash including broken branches and leaves when cleaning up a yard or garden. The side-guard of the present invention can configured to any size for various bag sizes.

The present invention recognizes that a side-guard can be used to protect the inside of a bag from sharp objects, making the job of cleanup easier and more efficient. There are many different types of bags, including plastic trash bags or bags made from different materials such as those made of fabric or burlap. The present invention cay be use to protect the inside of any type of bag form sharp objects.

One aspect of the present invention includes a side-guard for inside of a flexible bag, including a substantially cylindrical rigid member able to fit inside a flexible bag, the substantially cylindrical rigid member including an open top side and an open bottom side and a peripheral side wall, wherein the peripheral side wall is inclined toward the central axis of the substantially cylindrical rigid member; and one or more handle means that are integral to or attached toward the open top side of the substantially cylindrical member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a front view of a torn bag with holes filled with branches and leaves without the utilization of a side-guard.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of an intact bag with holes filled with branches and leaves with the utilization of a side-guard.

FIG. 3 shows a front view of a torn bag with holes that is filled with branches and leaves without the utilization of a side-guard being pulled out of a trash container.

FIG. 4 shows a front view of an intact bag filled with branches and leaves with the utilization of a side-guard, and an embodiment of the side-guard shown on top of the filled bag.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the side-guard.

FIG. 6 shows a ¼ cut perspective view of an embodiment of the side-guard.

FIG. 7 shows a front view diagram of a preferred embodiment of the side-guard.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Introduction

The present invention recognizes that a side-guard can be placed inside of a flexible bag and be used to protect the inside of the bag from sharp objects, and be easily removable from the inside of the bag after the bag is filled up, making the job of cleanup easier and more efficient. There are many different types of bags, including plastic trash bags or bags made from different materials such as those made of fabric or burlap. The present invention cay be use to protect the inside of any type of bag form sharp objects.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description proceeds and when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. To gain a full appreciation of the scope of the present invention, it will be further recognized that various aspects of the present invention can be combined to make desirable embodiments of the invention. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Where a term is provided in the singular, the inventor also contemplates the plural of that term. The nomenclature used herein and the procedures described below are those well known and commonly employed in the art.

I. A Side-Guard for Inside of a Flexible Bag

One embodiment of the present invention includes a side-guard for inside of a flexible bag, including a substantially cylindrical rigid member able,to fit inside a flexible bag. The substantially cylindrical rigid member of the present invention may be made from any suitable rigid, flexible, or semi-flexible material such as plastic, rubber, metal, wood, paper, a combination thereof, and the like. The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a substantially cylindrical rigid member made of rigid plastic. The substantially cylindrical rigid member includes an open top side and an open bottom side and a peripheral side wall. The shape of the substantially cylindrical member is not limited to any particular shape and does not have to be circular in configuration, but what is important is the presence of open top and bottom sides with a peripheral side wall enclosing the open center of what resembles a cylinder, and may include other configuration such as oval, triangle, square, rectangle, trapezoid, polygons, and other geometric shapes.

An important aspect of peripheral side wall of the present invention is that the peripheral side wall is inclined toward the central axis of the substantially cylindrical rigid member. The incline of the side wall may include a deviation from the vertical line, direction, or course of the peripheral side wall going from the open bottom side to the open top side. In such a configuration, the open top side is smaller in dimensions that the open bottom side, and the peripheral side wall is inclined toward the central axis of side-guard. This configuration is important because it makes it easier to fill up a bag with the side-guard of the presented invention inserted therein with leaves, branches, or other debris. When a bag is being filled up, because of the bag's dimensions and effects of gravity, the bottom portion of the bag usually contains a larger volume of branches, leaves, or other debris than the top portion of the bag, and the side-guard of the present invention, facilitates the filling up of a bag based on this natural circumstance. The inclined peripheral side wall of the present invention may be continuous, meaning the inclined angle of the side wall toward the central axis may begin at the point of the open bottom side and continue to the open top side, or inclined angle of the side wall toward the central axis may be discontinuous, meaning the peripheral side wall may go up in a straight configuration for some distance, and then the inclined angle will begin and continue to the open top side. Preferably, the incline of the peripheral side wall is continuous, and the angle of incline is between about 1 degree to 15 degrees, and more preferably the angle of the incline is about 5 degrees. However in the case of the discontinuous embodiment, it is preferred that the side wall go up straight about half way to the open top side and the angle of incline begin at bout the halfway point of the side wall similar to the configuration of the continuous inclined embodiment.

The present invention also includes one or more handle means that are integral to or attached at the open top side of the substantially cylindrical member. The handle means may be any handle means that are suitable to act as a handle for the present invention for moving the side guard out of the flexible bag after use. Preferably, the handle means is a lip handle, such as a rounded lip handle, that is integral to or attached to the entire circumference of the open top side of the substantially cylindrical rigid member. Alternatively, the handle means may include one of more independent handles that are integral to or attached toward the open top of the side-guard. Also, the handle means may be integral to the side guard by removing a portion of the peripheral side wall, at one or more locations toward the open top portion, and creating a cavity into the side wall which can be used as handles.

A preferred embodiment of the side-guard of the present invention includes an open bottom side with a diameter of about 24 inches, a peripheral side wall with a height of about 36 inches which has an angle of incline of about 5 degrees, and an integral peripheral rounded lip handle with a height of about 2 inches.

A preferred method of use of the side-guard of the present invention includes the step of providing the side-guard of the present invention, turning it upside down and placing it on the ground, providing a flexible bag and pulling the flexible bag over the upside down side-guard through the open end of the flexible bag such that the bottom end of the side-guard and the closed end of the flexible bag are substantially in contact, and turning over the side-guard and the flexible bag right side up wherein the side-guard is positioned in the flexible bag and ready for use in filling up the flexible bag. After the bag is filled up with branches, leaves, and other debris, the side-guard is easily pulled out of the flexible bag using the handle means leaving the bag filled and intact.

All headings are for the convenience of the reader and should not be used to limit the meaning of the text that follows the heading, unless so specified. Various changes and departures may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited to that specifically described in the specification or as illustrated in the drawings, but only as set forth in the claims. Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and various other changes, omissions, and additions may be made therein and thereto, without parting from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

EXAMPLES Example I A Side-Guard for Inside of a Flexible Bag

Referring to FIG. 6, this example provides an embodiment of a side-guard 100 for inside of a flexible bag, which includes a substantially cylindrical rigid member 101 able to fit inside a flexible bag, the substantially cylindrical rigid member 101 includes an open top side 102 and an open bottom side 103 and a peripheral side wall 101, wherein the peripheral side wall 101 is inclined toward the central axis of the substantially cylindrical rigid member 101; and one or more handle means 104 that is integral toward the open top side 102 of the substantially cylindrical member 101. 

1. A side-guard for inside of a flexible bag, comprising: a substantially cylindrical rigid member able to fit inside a flexible bag, the substantially cylindrical rigid member comprising an open top side and an open bottom side and a peripheral side wall, wherein the peripheral side wall is inclined toward the central axis of the substantially cylindrical rigid member; and one or more handle means that are integral to or attached at the open top side of the substantially cylindrical member.
 2. The side-guard of claim 1, wherein the peripheral side wall is continuously inclined from the bottom side to the top side.
 3. The side-guard of claim 1, wherein the one or more handle means comprises a peripheral rounded lip handle that is integral to or attached to the entire circumference of the open top side of the substantially cylindrical rigid member.
 4. The side-guard of claim 3, wherein the peripheral side wall is inclined toward the central axis of the substantially cylindrical member by an angle of between 1 to 15 degrees.
 5. The side-guard of claim 3, wherein the peripheral side wall is inclined toward the central axis of the substantially cylindrical member by an angle of 5 degrees.
 6. The side guard of claim 5, wherein the open bottom side has a diameter of 24 inches, the peripheral side wall has a height of 36 inches, and the peripheral rounded lip handle has a height of 2 inches. 